Post 156

I have had considerable problems with layout and font size in this post - apologies in advance for  inconsistency.


This morning there seemed to be a pause in the building work around 9.30 am - probably what my father would have referred to as Smoko. It was enough for Turtle to visit for the first time this week.


Once I put out some seed, Myrtle turned up as well. They did a good job of putting away most of the seed in less than 10 minutes and were gone before work recommenced.

When it did, it was right on the boundary of our building, drilling out cores of soil (one can be seen lying on the right edge of the photo near the base of the wall).

This action was followed by the insertion of a wire core. At the end of the day cement was being added from a cement mixer.





The owl bag had dried overnight  and didn't look too bad after it had been ironed. The Inktense pencil had bled a little, but, as Jennifer said, it gives the impression of being tie-dyed. Jennifer has followed the making of the bag and it had her name on it.  We had lunch today at Grange, so relaxed and enjoyable that I forgot to take photos.

Jennifer has another test on Tuesday and is booked for her Bronchoscopic Tracheal Dilation on Thursday. This morning she had a call from a researcher in Perth requesting that Jennifer participate in ongoing research into the long-term impact of Covid on those who have been infected. She is very pleased to be involved and agreed. 

In her email yesterday, my friend Christine in Watford commented that there are many similar stories here and the specialists are looking to set up specialist hubs to deal with the virus survivors and the complex problems they have been left with - but with the ongoing serious complications only now being discovered it's not good news.

Australia, of course, has a much smaller population pool from which to set up hubs, but it is good to know that research is being undertaken. With the recent increase in cases in Melbourne, and, to a lesser extent, Sydney, there is a growing number of affected 'long haulers'.


Christine also wrote of the impact on her community. Depressing news of closures here continue - our last department store in Watford is not reopening - we have lost our John Lewis’s- a great loss so no where to buy a cotton reel now and lovely Christmas decorations etc. Also heard that the WI college at Denman isn’t going to reopen so no more residential needlework courses there for me - not many place left to go and stay now  - others of course may yet bite the dust. Watford's football team this week also managed to get its self regulated down from the Premier League in the play offs in empty stadiums  so a cloud of gloom hangs over the whole town!

At the moment we are very fortunate here in South Australia. Netball has started up again, with restrictions and limited, modified football games are occurring. Junior Embroiderers are meeting tomorrow for the first time since March.  We are all conscious, however, of how fragile these arrangements are. and dependent on continuing vigilance.



There was a fabulous, wide-open sky as I drove home after dropping Jennifer at her place.

Very late in the afternoon, a parcel arrived, a large box from Hampers with Bite. Inside were a range of goodies, from tea, chocolates, marshmallows, and a lidded glass mug. The enclosed card simply said "Josh". I only know two Joshes, one is my plumber, who I haven't seen for 12 months, the other is the youngest child of a family for whom I recently made a set of face masks.

It was, of course, the family who had sent the parcel, but the company lost the message that was meant to accompany it, along with the names of the other 4 family members.! So glad we were able to sort it out. I'm grateful for the generosity and pleasure of the gift - and for the story that now goes with it!





As we solved the parcel mystery the sun was setting in a spectacular fashion over Adelaide

and the building work was silent.














I spent the evening progressing the cube bag. I've finished the four-sided stitch border on the first square and partially on the second square. This is not fast work, but looks good.

Altogether, a eventful and privileged day.